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This article was taken from Weight Watchers Magazineby Rona Berg, WWM J/F 04

By the time I get to the top of the subway stairs, I'm winded. my favorite jeans are struggling to stay closed. As I stop to catch my breath - and close my pants - I think about Calvin Trillin (the essayist and chronicler of the gourmand).

Calvin Trillin knows a thing or two about food. And when he says, "Keeping weight off is a phenomenon about as common in America as an impoverished dermatologist," I believe him. In fact, I've asked myself, many times, "Why can't I make this stick? Why am I back here again?" The short answer, of course, is pasta.

Every overeater has an Achilles' heel and pasta is mine. In truth, though the problem isn't really the pasta, the parmigiana, or any of my (many) other favorite food groups. It's not really about the weight, either. The real problem is the behavior that leads me to overeat. Today, walking down the street, with a bagel midway to my mouth, I find myself thinking about why I eat too much, and I realize this: I am a mindless eater. I'm a classic grab, go, and feel-bad-about-it-later girl. At 10 A.M. on a typical day, I top off my bagel with a chocolate croissant big enough to feed a family of four, along with a jumbo latte. Lately though, not eating healthily has made me really cranky. I'm tired of feeling tired and heavy.

I want to look - and feel - less like Bridget Jones on a bender. Continuing my walk, I catch my silhouette in a shop window. Who is that out-of-breath, overweight woman gnawing on a super-size sesame with a shmear? At first I think its someone else. (Talk about denial!) But at that moment, I finally realize I'm ready to see - really see - the truth. I remember what a Weight Watchers Leader once said: "If you want to change what you see in the mirror, you must see in the mirror what you want to change." Once and for all, it was time for me to focus on what ultimately matters. After all, what's more important, an extra bite of bagel or a slice of life?

Now for the hard part: How to get on track? I've tried Weight Watchers before. At first, those bright, colorful little books seem so full of promise - but they start to look a little tired the second or third time around. And some meetings can be, well, corny. I remember one Leader who handed out balloons. Every time you see this in your purse, she said, use it as a visual reminder: "Don't blow it." I remember how I rolled my eyes. What would be different this time?

See, there I go, talking myself out of it already. Just stop a minute. How can I get myself to actually do this? I look back at my reflection in the shop window. Who am I kidding? I'm not ready to give up on those jeans yet. Call it vanity, but I'm young enough to want to look better, smart enough to want to feel better, and old enough to know better - right? Weight gain just sort of sneaks up on you, like a mortgage payment or middle age. And if you're not conscientious about eating well and getting enough exercise, before you know it, you'll be 20 pounds heavier - which is exactly what happened to me.

Just then, I look up and spot an acquaintance on the street. He's lost 30 pounds since I last saw him, and looks wonderful. When I ask how he did it, he said when he decided to take control of his relationship with food, everything just clicked. He became more aware of what's important to him and re-shifted his focus in that direction. "It was like a moment of truth," he said. "I wanted to have relationships with God, my friends, the world," he said, "not Haagen Dazs." That was my very own moment of truth. The next day, with that in mind, I walked into a Weight Watchers meeting -
again.

__________________What do I want most of all? I want to ride my horses and learn how to ride well! I want to train like a champion!

On a rainy Saturday morning in 1998, Frances Kuffel walked into a roomful of strangers and began a transformation that would leave no aspect of her life untouched. Frances, then 41 years old and a literary agent in New York City, weighed over 300 pounds at 5'8". She'd been morbidly obese for her entire adult life; each time she'd dieted, she'd lost some weight and gained back more. Her three dreams—to be thin, to publish a book with her name on it, and to fall "mutually and sanely" in love—seemed almost hopelessly remote.

Then she had an epiphany. "Life has a tendency to just make offers once in a while," says Frances. "One day I learned a great truth about myself," she says. "I had a friend who was critical of my weight when he'd had too much to drink. I called him an alcoholic, and in doing so, I suddenly realized that I had a problem of exactly the same magnitude. And in that moment of honesty for me—he's a drunk, I'm a compulsive overeater—there was a moral question: Either I address my own addiction or I ignore it. And if I ignore it, I'm going to be a liar for the rest of my life. Before that, I had simply wanted to lose weight. But now I could not live with the definition of myself as a liar."

Next Steps
With trepidation, Frances found the number of a 12-step program and decided to try a meeting. A year and a half later, she'd lost almost half her body weight. Not long after, she realized she had the subject for her book. And once she saw that she could keep the weight off, she began, for the first time, to date.

Along the way, she learned what it takes to really change your life. "What you want has to be stronger than what you have, and I wanted dignity more than I wanted food," she says. To rise to a daunting challenge, she turned to people who'd succeeded at what she wanted to do. "I had a sponsor, I had a lot of friends. I became available to women who knew more than I did," she says. "I'd already tried it my way, and my way didn't work. I was 338 pounds doing it my way."

The Result
She also became good at navigating the Scylla and Charybdis of dieters—on one hand, the naysayers (people who felt threatened by the changes she was making), and on the other, the terror of recidivism. "I've had slips where there's panic and self-hatred," she says. "But I've realized it would take a long spell of overeating, longer than I've ever given to it, to undo a certain fundamental confidence and faith and knowledge about myself that I've amassed in the last five years."

__________________What do I want most of all? I want to ride my horses and learn how to ride well! I want to train like a champion!

January 27, 2004 11:31 AM
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MONDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDayNews) -- Carbohydrates may not be the real villains in the hard-fought battle against the bulge after all.

A small group of older men and women actually lost weight on a complex carbohydrate diet that let them eat until they were full without counting calories.

"This runs counter to the current cult of carbohydrate aversion," says William J. Evans, senior author of the National Institute on Aging-funded study that appears in the Jan. 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Losing weight, of course, has become the great American pastime -- and with good reason.

"If someone is overweight with a BMI [body mass index] of 25 or greater, they are at risk for more disease including cancer, heart disease and diabetes," says Samantha Heller, senior clinical nutritionist at New York University Medical Center in New York City. "Even losing a few pounds can help lower blood pressure and help regulate and manage cholesterol levels."

There has been some evidence that low-fat, complex carbohydrate (think whole grains) diets coax the pounds off. But it wasn't clear if they might work because overall food consumption was lower or what the metabolic effects of less fat were.

For the new study, 34 people aged 55 to 80 with impaired glucose tolerance (a risk factor for type 2 diabetes) were randomly assigned to one of three 12-week programs. The control program was a "typical American diet" of 41 percent fat, 14 percent protein and 45 percent carbohydrates. The remaining individuals followed a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet (18 percent fat, 19 percent protein, 63 percent carbohydrate) either with or without aerobic exercise.

Participants, who were not told this was a weight-loss study, came to the University of Arkansas' nutrition, metabolism and exercise laboratory center in the morning for breakfast. The rest of their food for the day was then provided to them.

"We gave all of our subjects half again as much food as we felt they needed to maintain their weight, 150 percent of their energy requirements," says Evans, who is a professor in the Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. They were told they could eat as much as they wanted. Any food that was uneaten was brought back and weighed.

Breakfast in the diet group consisted of cereal or oatmeal. Snacks consisted of lemon pudding, popcorn and crispbread crackers.

Participants in the low-fat, high-carb groups lost weight and those who exercised lost even more. The average weight loss was almost 11 pounds.

These differences were seen despite the fact that all participants had the same calorie intake. "We were able to demonstrate that subjects could experience weight loss with no decrease in calorie intake, only a decrease in fat intake," Evans says.

Metabolic rates were the same for all participants as well.

"There is really very little evidence that humans actually turn carbohydrate into fat," Evans explains. "How much fat we have is by and large the product of over- or under-eating fat or increasing the burning of fat as fuel."

Why is it, then, that the protein-focused Atkins diet also produces weight loss?

"What happens when you reduce carbohydrate intake is that your appetite is greatly suppressed. So as long as your carbohydrate intake is extremely low, you're not as hungry, and you end up eating fewer calories and losing weight," Evans says.

"The big problem with Atkins is once you decide that you've lost enough weight and want to eat bagels and bread and pasta again, suddenly you're hungry again and start eating a lot more food. The rate of recidivism of Atkins is extraordinarily high," he adds.

While Evans' study focused on complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, his current research is finding similar results with simple carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta. "In my opinion, it's the low fat rather than the type of carbohydrate," Evans says. But that study is not yet completed.

It's also important to note the just-published study was very small, with only 11 or 12 people in each group. "It needs to be repeated with bigger groups and more specific measurement of food intake," Heller says. "It's not conclusive."

More information

For more on proper nutrition, visit the U.S. Agriculture Department. The American Diabetes Association has more on type 2 diabetes.
----------------------------------------------------------This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but
shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to
life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but
have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer
space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom,
but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but
accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more
computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we
communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small
character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of
two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are
days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night
stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to
quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and
nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to
you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just
hit delete.

* Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not
going to be around forever.

* Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe,
because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

* Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is
the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

*Remember, to say, "I love you" to your spouse and your loved ones, but
most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes
from deep inside of you.

*Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person
will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give
time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Remember that movie with Jim Carrey, “Dumb and Dumber?” And remember the sequel to that movie, “Dumb and Dumberer?” Well, the low carb mania that is sweeping the globe today has reached a level beyond dumberer… It’s more like dumberererer (try to say that five times real fast)

There is an epidemic of “low carb stupidity” running rampant among millions of people throughout the world today – and fast food restaurants, food product manufacturers, supplement companies, and weight loss programs are capitalizing on it in a big way in 2004!

The low carb diet is not inherently stupid, however. It can be quite beneficial within certain parameters and under the right circumstances. The problem is that many practitioners are uniformed, misinformed, or simply lack the common sense and intuitive bodily wisdom to utilize the low carb approach intelligently.

Many low-carbers don’t even know why they are on a low carb diet, they’re just following the followers. Not intelligent. Doing what everyone else is doing is always one of the surest, straightest routes to arrive at mediocrity! If you want to be a success, your chances are far greater if you look at what the masses are doing and do the exact opposite!

Fortunately, there is such a thing as “low carb intelligence.” Hopefully, by reading my brief rant this month, you will increase your carb IQ, and soon join the ranks of the extraordinarily fit, lean and healthy “carbo geniuses!”

Low carb stupidity #1
Selecting your beer or liquor carefully to make sure you have the brand with the fewest grams of carbs.

Low carb intelligence
Avoiding alcohol if you’re trying to lose body fat. Drinking only in moderation if you’re trying to maintain your weight and be healthy.

Low carb stupidity #2
Believing any of the following: Low carbs diets are the only way to lose fat, low carb diets are the best way to lose fat, no one should ever eat a high carb diet, high carbs always make you fat, starches and grains make everyone sick and unhealthy.

Low carb stupidity #3
Going on the Atkins diet (or any other very low carb/ketogenic diet) with absolutely no idea why you’re doing it or how the diet works (going on it because “everybody” is doing it and because you see it advertised everywhere.)

Low carb intelligence
Studying the physiology and biochemistry of the low carb diet and completely understanding all the pros and cons. Then making an informed decision whether to restrict carbs based on your own personal goals, needs and heath status.

Low carb intelligence
Understanding that reasonable (moderate) restriction of carbs can be a helpful short term strategy for fat loss, a good way to reach a peak, and an effective way for some people to control insulin. But also understanding that a balanced diet of natural foods is probably the most suitable of all the diets for health, lifelong maintenance and weight control.

Low carb intelligence
Knowing that fat loss always did and always will boil down to calories in vs. calories out. Taking the time and effort to crunch your numbers (at least once), typing up your menu on a spreadsheet, keeping a diary, and/or using nutrition tracking software.

Low carb stupidity #6
Staying on a low carb diet that has stopped working (or never worked in the first place).

Low carb intelligence
Adjusting your diet according to your results; understanding that a common definition of insanity (and/or stupidity) is to continue to do the same things over and over again, while expecting a different result.

Low carb stupidity#7
Believing that you don’t need exercise because all you need to do is cut carbs.
Low carb intelligence
Knowing that dieting is the worst way to lose fat and that exercise is the best way to lose fat (Burn The Fat, don’t starve the fat).

Low carb stupidity #8
Using the argument; “There’s no such thing as an essential carbohydrate” as justification for low carb dieting.

Low carb intelligence
Realizing that textbook definitions of “essential” can be taken out of context to promote a fad diet and that just because there’s technically no “essential” carbohydrates (as there are essential amino acids and fatty acids) doesn’t mean carbohydrates aren’t “essential” in other respects.

Low carb stupidity #9
Using the argument, “You have to eat fat to lose fat” as justification for a high fat, low carb diet, without explaining it or putting it in context (exactly how much fat and what kind of fat?)

Low carb intelligence
Understanding the importance of essential and omega three fats (the good fats), but not taking any single nutritional principle to an extreme (such as, “If a little fat is good for you then a lot is even better.”)

Low carb intelligence
Realizing that there are “very low” carb diets, “low” carb diets, and “moderate” carb diets and that you cant lump them all together. (Some people consider The Zone Diet, at 40% of calories from carbs, a low carb diet, others consider 40% carbs quite high).
Low carb stupidity #12
Believing that carrots are fattening because they’re high on the glycemic index and because a popular fad diet book says so.

Low carb intelligence
Have we lost all vestiges of common sense? With an average carrot clocking in at 31 calories and 7.3 grams of carbs, do you really think that this orange-colored, nutrient-dense, low-calorie, all-natural, straight-out-of-the-ground root vegetable is going to make you fat? (if so, you are in "carbohydrate kindergarten.")

Low carb intelligence
Realizing that natural, unrefined foods are one of the keys to lifelong weight control and that anything man made and refined is NOT an ideal “diet” food – including the highly processed low carb foods that are all the rage this year. (Doesn’t this bandwagon reek of the late 80’s and early 90’s “no fat” craze, when all those ”fat free” foods were being passed off as healthy diet food, but were really highly processed and full of pure sugar?)

--End of Stupidities--

Forgive me for the obvious dashes of sarcasm, but sometimes I just can’t help myself and I end up going into rant mode… I think the last time this happened was in Issue #22 almost a year ago… remember that one… the one where I wrote about the ad for the candy bar that increases your bench press by 50 pounds? Yeah... I heard those bars are especially effective when you combine them with low carb potato chips (weren't those low fat potato chips a few years ago??? Oh nevermind... it's all soooo confusing!)

'Superfoods' Everyone Needs
Experts say more than a dozen easy-to-find 'superfoods' can do wonders for your health.

By Gina Shaw

It's a bird ... it's a plane ... it's ... walnuts? Don't laugh. The humble walnut, along with a dozen other dietary choices -- from beans to yogurt -- is no less than a "superfood," say some health experts.

Steven Pratt, MD, is one of them. In his new book SuperFoods RX: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life, he goes into detail why he thinks these foods are so potent.

Pratt, an ophthalmologist who specializes in ocular plastic surgery at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., says he became convinced of the power of these basic foods when he saw the positive results of a few simple diet changes in his patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration -- a leading cause of blindness.

"Whether you're trying to prevent cataracts, macular degeneration, cancer, or cardiovascular disease, the same type of preventive dietary measures apply," he says. "The whole body is connected: a healthy heart equals a healthy eye and healthy skin. You'll hear about all these special diets for special health needs, but really, the same diet and the same lifestyle choices prevent the same diseases. With rare exceptions, you don't need 20 different preventive modalities -- just one really good diet."

And that "one really good diet," Pratt says, should be founded on these "superfoods":

When incorporated into your regular daily diet, these foods, says Pratt, can stop some of the changes that lead to diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, Alzheimer's, and some cancers. "I picked them out after researching all of the world's healthiest diets: for example, Japanese diets, Mediterranean diets, and even some of the healthier dietary patterns in the United States," he says. "I noticed that it's the same food groups wherever you live."

Walnuts: The Good Fat
Every nut, even macadamias -- the fattiest -- has been found to improve cholesterol, Pratt reports. "Walnuts are among the superstars. They're an excellent source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids," he says. Salmon is another great source of these heart-healthy fatty acids.

"Studies show that you can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by 15% to 50% if you eat a handful of nuts five times a week. If you found a pill that did the same thing, you'd make a fortune." Of course, chowing down on a huge tub of walnuts can be counterproductive, so as always, watch your intake. A handful of dry, roasted, unsalted walnuts -- about 14 walnut halves -- has about 150 calories, and is enough to yield "superfood" benefits.

Add Some Color to Your Diet
It is true that good things come in small packages. Used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes, blueberries are a tiny fruit that combines a wide variety of nutrients. "Blueberries don't have a huge amount of any single nutrient, but they have the synergy of multiple nutrients," Pratt says. "There's vitamin C, folic acid, fiber, carotenoids, and hundreds of other compounds in this one small fruit. Blueberries also have a very thick skin, which is where nature packs most of its nutrients."

When you're thinking "superfoods," think color, says Beverly Clevidence, PhD, a research leader at the USDA's Diet and Human Performance laboratory. That means foods that are deep blue, purple, red, green, or orange. They contain health-enhancing nutrients that protect against heart disease and cancer, and also improve our sense of balance, our memory, and other thinking skills.

Nutritionist Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, director of nutrition of the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic, offers these tips on how to add some color to your diet:

Soy for Cholesterol
"No, adding soy to your diet does not mean pouring more soy sauce on your Chinese food," says Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, LDN, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. It does mean adding soy foods such as tofu, soy milk, soy nuts, or the green soybeans -- called edamame by the Japanese.

Not everyone is convinced about soy's heart-healthy benefits but its cholesterol-lowering benefits do seem powerful enough. A study reported July 2003 in The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that a diet of soy fiber, protein from oats and barley, almonds, and margarine from plant sterols lowered cholesterol as much as statins, the most widely prescribed cholesterol medicine.

Tofu takes on the flavor of foods that it is cooked with, says Zelman. Try a stir-fry of colorful veggies and cubed tofu with a light Asian sauce for a quick meal. You can also find cereals at the store loaded with both soy and fiber. Serve with skim milk and you'll get three super nutrients for breakfast.

Take a soy protein bar for a quick snack or lunch during the day. Soy nuts are another great portable snack option.

Edamame (Japanese name for green soybeans) are snacks even kids will love! Find these nutritious nuggets in the freezer section at your supermarket. Serve them plain or with a low-fat dip.

Studies show that dietary fiber -- including foods such as apples, barley, beans and other legumes, fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, oat bran and brown rice -- clearly lower blood cholesterol. High-fiber foods are also digested more slowly, so they don't cause spikes in blood sugar levels like white bread, potatoes and sweets do. Of course, everyone knows that fiber helps keep you regular. High-fiber foods also help us feel full, making it easier to control weight.

Read food labels to find whole grain breads and cereals that provide three or more grams of fiber per serving, says Zelman. A bowl full of bran or high-fiber cereal is a great start. Whole fruits and veggies are great for a healthy dose of fiber. Aim for five to nine servings of fruits and veggies a day for a healthy dose of fiber. Juices don't contain as much fiber as whole fruit. And beans are loaded with fiber and protein, so add them to soups, stews, salads, eggs, and salsas.

Calcium for Your Bones
Yogurt and other dairy products help keep your bones strong and lessen your chance of fractures as you get older, calcium also keeps teeth strong, helps your muscles contract, and your heart beat. Recent studies have even shown that calcium may lower your risk of colon polyps, and help you lose weight. Researchers at Purdue University found that women who consume calcium from low-fat dairy products, or get at least 1,000 milligrams a day, showed an overall decrease in body weight.

Dairy products are the best source of calcium. Choose skim milk, low-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese to avoid saturated fats. A single serving can provide you with 20% of the 1,200 milligrams a day you need. You can also add calcium to your diet with calcium-enriched cereals and orange juice. Foods such as dark green vegetables, dried beans, and sardines also contain calcium.

Start your day with café au lait made with half skim milk and half strong coffee, says Zelman. Add a bowl of whole grain cereal topped with skim milk and fresh fruit for a breakfast of champions. Snack on low-fat yogurt or cheese between meals for an energizing treat.

Another plus for the "superfoods": they can all be found in pretty much every supermarket in every town in America. You might not be able to buy bok choy everywhere, but every grocery store sells broccoli. Both dark green leafy vegetables with similar health benefits, broccoli makes the "superfood" list and bok choy is one of its "sidekicks."

So are "superfoods" for real, or just another diet-book gimmick in a market flooded with them? "I think it's a good message," says Beth Kitchin, MS, RD, assistant professor in the department of nutrition at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. "There's good data to support the health benefits of all these foods. They're what we might call 'functional foods,' because you eat them for a very specific purpose. The walnuts and the salmon are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, yogurt is a great source of calcium and natural bacterial cultures that help maintain a healthy digestive tract, and tea has been shown over and over again to have a role in preventing some cancers."

Can you lose weight on a "superfoods" diet? Of course you can, says Pratt, although that's a side benefit. "The Superfoods way of looking at things is a lifestyle choice, not a weight-loss program," he says. "But if you make these foods a lifestyle choice, you'll feel better and you'll look better."

Emotions can drive you to overeat. So, too, can other triggers. Learn how to spot them, and you'll learn how to beat them.

Dim lighting: The dimmer the lighting, the higher the likelihood of overindulgence, says a study from the University of California at Irvine. Why? "Brighter lighting forces you to be more aware of what you're eating," says Joe Kasof, Ph.D., lead study author. Beat it by: Sitting outdoors or near windows, using brighter bulbs in your lamps, adding lighting to eating areas, or moving to a brighter room.

Distractions: In another study, when women who normally watched what they ate listened to a taped detective story, they consumed more calories. Researchers suspect the story interfered with the women's focus on keeping calories in check. Beat it by: Clearing all distractions; let the enjoyment of the meal provide your focus.

Low energy: "When your energy's low, you may look for food to pick you up," says Robert E. Thayer, Ph.D., professor of psychology at California State University at Long Beach. Unfortunately, most people reach for calorie-laden treats instead of an apple or banana. Beat it by: Identifying your low-energy times of day and substituting other activities for eating. Take a 10-minute walk or a water-cooler chat break.

__________________What do I want most of all? I want to ride my horses and learn how to ride well! I want to train like a champion!

After a run of holidays, a week's vacation, a period in my life when it feels as if I'm eating all the time for reasons that have very little to do with hunger, I like to take a week to get back in touch with eating cues. When am I hungry? What does it feel like? When am I full?

I know, these may sound like odd or even stupid questions, but as we become adults, many of us learn to override true hunger and satiation to eat in response to events and emotions. I eat when I'm frustrated, eat to celebrate, eat because it's time to eat, eat because everyone else is eating. I eat to please a hostess, a parent, a friend. I eat just to enjoy the flavor of food, eat because I'm bored, eat when I'm unhappy, and sometimes, like a lot of overweight people, I eat to overload my senses and thoughts with something other than some unpleasantness that I don't want to feel. That is, I sometimes eat to avoid my feelings. I eat to procrastinate, eat while thinking about what I'll prepare to eat. Eat to keep myself awake. Eat to put myself to sleep.

I had a lot of reasons to eat hen I was heavy, and responded to each of them with the same thought, "I'm hungry," when what I felt wasn't hunger at all. Hunger is hunger pangs and for me that jittery, confused state that comes when my blood sugar drops. At my heaviest, I experienced hunger rarely, because I was eating so often for so many other reasons, actual hunger often didn't get a chance. Taking the weight off and keeping it off has meant learning to eat only when I'm hungry and stopping when I'm full.

And that's not actually that easy for me.

But that's my focus for this week. I'm concentrating on the experience of my own hunger, so I can reinforce the feeling of becoming hungry, eating, and becoming full. That means, for this week at least, I don't eat until I grow hungry, and plenty hungry, so I know it's the real thing. And then I eat as slowly as I can, focusing entirely on the food, the experience of it. Noting how my body feels before, during, and after eating. I can do this because I've run away for a few days, and can live slowly, away from work, focus for a spell. It's a good exercise, and it's been interesting.

Your own eating plan may vary, but most of us who have lost a bunch of weight settle on a series of meals and snacks spread out through the day to keep our calories low and blood sugar stabilized. I eat 5 or 6 200-calorie "meals," never eat carbohydrates by themselves, but always accompanied by a protein and/or a fat. Eating this way, hunger is not a big problem for me. I usually feel hunger pangs right at my regular mealtimes, and not much before. My trouble is, because my meals are so small, I'm often still hungry after I've finished them. That is, the food's gone before my stomach and brain and blood have had a chance to communicate that all's well, all systems go.

I've noticed some things. I've noticed that my hunger disappears faster when I chew more. This seems to have less to do with bulk than with the simple act of chewing. Chewing up raw veggies or a salad along with a goodly serving of protein works way better than just the protein alone. That is, a bed of baby spinach with the egg salad, works far better than the egg salad alone, though it doesn't add much more in bulk or calories. It takes longer to consume this lunch, and there's more fiber. If I skip the protein, my hunger will not be satisfied at all, and will likely be worse. With protein, 15 to 20 or even 30 minutes after I've eaten, I can feel that nice satiated feeling come back, and I'm good to go for another three hours. The delay factor is quite long, and kind of frustrating, but if I keep eating until I'm full or until I stop feeling the hunger, I'm sure to overeat.

Warm foods work better than cold. Solid foods work better than liquid. Chewy works better than foods that slither right down the old pipes. Not eating until I feel that slightly uncomfortable, popping out all over feeling has distinct advantages. I don't become sleepy or dull from the effort of digesting. I don't experience heartburn or indigestion. I feel ready, fast, alert all day long. Never feel the need to nap off a meal, though napping is one of my greatest talents, one I've honed and perfected through hours of relentless and dedicated practice throughout my lifetime. I'm trying to redefine the feeling of "satisfied," in my mind, recalibrating my brain so that "satisfied" means "not hungry," rather than "ready to explode."

Is it time for you to get back in touch with your hunger? Or maybe feel it for the first time in a long time? I recommend you experiment with a journal by your side. Keep track of the times of day when hunger occurs to you. Note how quickly it develops, rises and falls. How do different foods affect it? What difference does exercise make? Caffeine? Medications? Does hunger trigger unusual feelings or emotions for you? Or do certain feelings trigger hunger? When do you want to eat without experiencing hunger, why? How long does it take to stop feeling hungry? How much do you need to eat, of what kinds of foods, and how often? Write to learn how your body works and responds to food and hunger. Knowing about your hunger will help you feed your body what it needs when it needs it. And that's a good step toward good health.

You're having one of those days where nothing is going right — you're late for work, your computer crashed, you spilled coffee on your brand-new shirt. By the end of the day, you find yourself zombie-like in front of the television, asking yourself "Where is my life going? Where did I go wrong?" Indeed, a simple shift in attitude at some point during your waking hours could have turned your day around. But how do you do it? Set realistic, achievable steps, suggests Stephanie Marston, Ph.D., a family therapist in Santa Fe. Start with small things to improve your attitude and well-being.
· Take a Friend to Lunch: Try taking a friend to lunch or dinner. Not only will you get a nice visit in with a friend you care about, but the act of generosity will likely boost your spirits.
· Listen to Your Favorite Song: Carry a portable CD or tape player with you and listen to your favorite tunes. A recent study in the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia found that music decreased anxiety experienced by patients before surgery.
· Discover the Extrovert in You: "Merely acting extroverted will make you feel happier," says William Fleeson, Ph.D., a psychology professor who studies happiness at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Fleeson suggests acting assertive, bold, adventurous, and talkative to practice being an extrovert.
· Take Ten: Give yourself ten minutes out of every day to re-connect with yourself, suggests Marston. "We live in fast-paced culture where we're all moving at warp speed with ridiculous to-do lists," she says. If we take time to be quiet, we can get in touch with our values and priorities. "With some adjustments and time, soon our outer life will be matching up with our inner life," she says.
· Count Your Blessings: A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that individuals with a more grateful outlook on life exhibited a heightened state of well being. According to the study, "research has shown that gratitude is linked with positive emotions including contentment, happiness, and hope." At some point during day, make a simple list of five or ten things that you are grateful for in your life.
· Shake It Off: Try not to take things personally. Instead, develop the habit of looking at other people's actions as just the way they are and less of a personal statement about you. Keep in mind that you can't make another person change but you can change your own thoughts.
· Just Say Om: Cultivate your spiritual side. This could mean checking out some meditation classes (often yoga studios are a good source), exploring the local religious centers in your neighborhood or asking your friends for a good recommendation of a spiritual book.

It’s coming up on tax time again, and here’s some delicious news. The IRS has now ruled that your weight loss expenses may be tax deductible.

Americans are not the only ones suffering the ill-effects of being overweight or obese. Someone coined the term “globesity” to describe the most important world health issue. No longer is being obese just a “symptom” of a disease. Obesity has been fully classified as a disease by the World Health Organization. In fact, obesity made the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases (known as ICD-9-CM). This prestigious publication is the world’s definitive compilation of diseases, and even the United States Public Health Service uses it as a source.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health) describes obesity as a “complex, multi-factorial chronic disease." Other government and scientific entities have reached similar conclusions, including the IRS. According to recent IRS literature, "Obesity is medically accepted to be a disease in its own right.”

This ruling is important for tax season. If obesity is a disease, the government must support you in your effort to lose weight. IRS ruling 2002-19 states that if your physician puts his pen to paper to write you a prescription to lose weight, you can deduct some of the expenses you pay for that weight loss. Your doctor can prescribe weight loss either because you are suffering from obesity or from some other disease that is negatively impacted by your extra weight.

However, before you make a reservation at that spa you’ve been dying to visit, understand that the IRS has rules and regulations associated with weight loss cost deductions. The IRS fact sheet states that medical expenses can be deducted as a part of medical care, which includes weight loss program fees (under Section 213a, when expenses exceed 7.5 percent of the patient's adjusted gross income).

Additionally, three employee benefits: Medical Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Reimbursement Arrangements also follow IRS guidelines. You may be able to apply for reimbursement of obesity treatment expenses based on a physician’s recommendation. Note: Please check with your personal tax preparer to make sure you’re eligible to take the deduction.

Step One: Obesity

A physician must deem that you need to lose weight, because you are obese (or because you have a medical condition that already puts you at a high health risk). Obesity is generally defined by calculating your Body Mass Index, or BMI. eDieters should be familiar with BMI, an estimation of risk for disease associated with your weight relative to your height.

BMI determines your risk for diseases associated with obesity. A “normal” BMI ranges from 19-25. Above 25 is considered “overweight,” and above 30 is considered obese. One caveat: BMI is not appropriate for pregnant women, children or adults over 65. It is also not appropriate for people with a large amount of muscle mass. The BMI represents a range of weight, and that’s why BMI is not gender specific.

Complete a profile at eDiets, and we automatically calculate your BMI for you. You can also determine your BMI as follows: multiply your body weight in pounds by 703.1 (don’t forget the .1!). Now, divide the result by your height in inches. Finally, divide that result by your height in inches again. For example: If you’re 5’8” tall, and weigh 210 pounds: 210 x 703.1 = 147651. Divide by 68, then by 68 again. The result is 31.9, but you can round it off to 32. Obese.

Step Two: Obesity-Related Diseases

The IRS fact sheet states that if the patient has heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or Type 2 diabetes, doctor-prescribed weight loss qualifies as a treatment even if the patient is not obese. Being overweight increases your health risks, especially with these diseases. Good scientific studies have proven time and again that losing weight lowers your risk for the complications of these diseases. Losing weight increases insulin sensitivity. It also helps lower blood pressure. Changing your diet helps improve high blood cholesterol, and it lowers your risk for heart disease.

The Facts: What Type Of Weight Loss Programs are Allowed?

The types of programs allowed are defined by the IRS as "structured patterns of activities designed to help a person lose weight." This program could be provided by a hospital, by a health-care professional or by a commercial company, such as eDiets.

Deductible costs include:

The initial fees to join a weight loss program
Additional fees to attend regular meetings in which participants develop diet plans, receive diet menus and literature and discuss problems encountered in dieting
Bariatric surgery
FDA-approved weight loss drugs
Physician and hospital-based programs
Behavioral counseling
The services of physicians
The services of dietitians and nutritionists as well as commercial-like programs, which are specific for weight loss and maintenance
Deductible costs do NOT include:

The cost of diet foods (this is a personal expense). The ruling states that you cannot include the cost of diet food items in medical expenses if the food is a substitute for the food you normally consume to satisfy your nutritional needs.
The cost of enrollment in a weight loss program to improve appearance, general health or sense of well-being, rather than to treat a specific medical problem. The government doesn’t care if you can fit into that size 6 dress. However, they will reimburse you for weight loss expenses if your blood pressure and cholesterol are too high (with a doctor’s prescription, of course).
Non prescription weight loss products
Nutritional Supplements
Any costs that are covered by insurance
How to estimate your deduction for a weight loss program.

You may deduct the amount of your uncompensated medical and dental expenses that's more than 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income.

First, you need to obtain a physician’s prescription for weight loss. You must be either obese, with a BMI over 30, or your physician must document a medical condition that requires you to lose weight (these can include high blood pressure or cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes and/or heart disease.)
Keep an expense record for the weight loss program that shows the attendance and payments.
If your yearly adjusted gross income is $40,000, and you spend $1,500 on a weight loss program, plus another $2,000 on other non-reimbursed medical expenses, then you may be eligible to deduct $500.
Remember, only non-reimbursed expenses are deductible. In this case, multiply $40,000 (adjusted gross income) x 7.5 percent = $3,000. Theoretically, you can deduct the expenses that exceed $3,000. In this case, $3,500 spent on non-reimbursed medical expenses adds up to a deduction of $500.

Note: Check with your professional tax advisor about reimbursement through a Medical Savings Account or a Flexible Spending Account.

You may amend prior tax returns, but check with your tax advisor. According to the IRS, taxpayers can amend their 1999, 2000 and 2001 tax returns to take advantage of the new ruling. For more information about this tax ruling, click here.

At eDiets, we offer 16 different meal plans to suit different lifestyles and food preferences. Low carb, low fat, or vegetarian… if you’ve made up your mind to improve your waistline and your health, you’ll find the program just for you.

eDiets Vice President of Nutrition Services, Susan L. Burke, M.S., R.D., L.D., CDE is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, and a Certified Diabetes Educator who specializes in both general and diabetes-related weight management.

If you're like many people, you started the new year with some serious dieting — and tons of motivation. But it's been a few months now... has your drive begun to wane?

You may have noticed it happening. A few weeks ago, you were excited to strap on your sneakers and go for a walk. Now: What a nuisance. You prided yourself on absolute perfection then; now, well... lots of high-calorie foods are slipping under your radar. To an outsider, it probably looks like you've given up. And it may even feel that way to you.

The good news is you're not alone. Running out of steam is normal, even if it's to the point where you've stopped your efforts altogether. It's a page in every success story. The difference between those who succeed and those who don't, though, is what they do when they lapse — give up or keep going.

Keep Driving!
"Losing weight is a process," says Howard J. Rankin, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of Inspired to Lose (Stepwise Press, 2001), "one that requires work and naturally involves problems. So falling on and off the weight-loss wagon is to be expected."

Think of it like a road trip. When you first get on the road, do you expect to never have to stop and get gas? To never have to check the road map to get your bearings? Also, when you get lost, do you get frustrated and say, "Forget it, I'm going back home"?

No. You keep going. Because the place you want to go is worth the trip, and giving up is not an option. It helps to look at weight loss in the same way: You will get to your weight goal, no matter what the route. Rest stops along the way are only pauses. They're not failures; they're lessons learned. It's getting over the fear of failure that stops a lot of people from seeing weight loss as a journey. When you've lost and gained over and over, the prospect of dieting can become more intimidating, rather than less. You don't want to be disappointed again. It can be hard to get back on track.

Tips for Resuming Your Weight Loss
Forgiving yourself when your diet goes poorly is the first step, but once that's done, Rankin suggests putting things in perspective. Wherever you are, from this point forward it can become better or worse. Then, take it one step at a time to make things better. Try these tips:

Set small, manageable goals to overcome the inertia of getting started. This usually means tackling one behavior at a time, like cutting down on desserts or drinking more water. One dieter, Melissa, started by substituting water for soda. "Then I changed from regular potato chips to baked potato chips," she says.

Reconnect with your motivation as often as you can. Revisit the reasons you wanted to lose weight in the first place (if you haven't already, write them down). Are they still true today, or do they need reworking?

Readjust your expectations. Finally, accept that if you wanted to lose two pounds a week and are averaging two a month, at least you're moving in the right direction.

Take each day as it comes. Even if you have a "bad" day one day, start out fresh the next.

__________________What do I want most of all? I want to ride my horses and learn how to ride well! I want to train like a champion!

The Department of Health and Human Services has created outrageously funny ads to promote taking small steps to losing weight. I applaud the effort! The ad that I saw showed a man taking two fleshy-looking blobs to an information desk and saying “I found these by the stairs! What are they?” The man at the desk very calmly responds: “They are love-handles, most people lose them by taking the stairs instead of the escalator.”

Small Steps
Take Small Steps Today!

1. Walk to work.
2. Use fat free milk over whole milk.
3. Do sit-ups in front of the TV.
4. Walk during lunch hour.
5. Drink water before a meal.
6. Eat leaner red meat & poultry.
7. Eat half your dessert.
8. Walk instead of driving whenever you can.
9. Take family walk after dinner.
10. Skate to work instead of driving.
11. Avoid food portions larger than your fist.
12. Mow lawn with push mower.
13. Increase the fiber in your diet.
14. Walk to your place of worship instead of driving.
15. Walk kids to school.
16. Get a dog and walk it.
17. Join an exercise group.
18. Drink diet soda.
19. Replace Sunday drive with Sunday walk.
20. Do yard work.
21. Eat off smaller plates.
22. Get off a stop early & walk.
23. Don't eat late at night.
24. Skip seconds.
25. Work around the house.
26. Skip buffets.
27. Grill, steam or bake instead of frying.
28. Bicycle to the store instead of driving.
29. Take dog to the park.
30. Ask your doctor about taking a multi-vitamin.
31. Go for a half-hour walk instead of watching TV.
32. Use vegetable oils over solid fats.
33. More carrots, less cake.
34. Fetch the newspaper yourself.
35. Sit up straight at work.
36. Wash the car by hand.
37. Don't skip meals.
38. Eat more celery sticks.
39. Run when running errands.
40. Pace the sidelines at kids' athletic games.
41. Take wheels off luggage.
42. Choose an activity that fits into your daily life.
43. Park further from the store and walk.
44. Ask a friend to exercise with you.
45. Make time in your day for physical activity.
46. Exercise with a video if the weather is bad.
47. Bike to the barbershop or beauty salon instead of driving.
48. Keep to a regular eating schedule.
49. If you find it difficult to be active after work, try it before work.
50. Take a walk or do desk exercises instead of a cigarette or coffee break.
51. Perform gardening or home repair activities.
52. Avoid laborsaving devices.
53. Take small trips on foot to get your body moving.
54. Play with your kids 30 minutes a day.
55. Dance to music.
56. Keep a pair of comfortable walking or running shoes in your car and office.
57. Make a Saturday morning walk a group habit.
58. Walk briskly in the mall.
59. Choose activities you enjoy & you'll be more likely to stick with them.
60. Stretch before bed to give you more energy when you wake.
61. Take the long way to the water cooler.
62. Explore new physical activities.
63. Vary your activities, for interest and to broaden the range of benefits.
64. Reward and acknowledge your efforts.
65. Choose fruit for dessert.
66. Consume alcoholic beverages in moderation, if at all.
67. Take stairs instead of the escalator.
68. Conduct an inventory of your meal/snack and physical activity patterns.
69. Share an entree with a friend.
70. Grill fruits or vegetables.
71. Eat before grocery shopping.
72. Choose a checkout line without a candy display.
73. Make a grocery list before you shop.
74. Buy 100% fruit juices over soda and sugary drinks.
75. Swim with your kids.
76. Flavor foods with herbs, spices, and other low fat seasonings.
77. Remove skin from poultry before cooking to lower fat content.
78. Eat before you get too hungry.
79. Don't skip breakfast.
80. Stop eating when you are full.
81. Snack on fruits and vegetables.
82. Top your favorite cereal with apples or bananas.
83. Try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.
84. Include several servings of whole grain food daily.
85. When eating out, choose a small or medium portion.
86. If main dishes are too big, choose an appetizer or a side dish instead.
87. Ask for salad dressing "on the side".
88. Don't take seconds.
89. Try your burger with just lettuce, tomato and onion.
90. Try a green salad instead of fries.
91. Bake or broil fish.
92. Walk instead of sitting around.
93. Eat sweet foods in small amounts.
94. Take your dog on longer walks.
95. Drink lots of water.
96. Cut back on added fats or oils in cooking or spreads.
97. Walk the beach instead of sunbathing.
98. Walk to a co-worker's desk instead of emailing or calling them.
99. Carry your groceries instead of pushing a cart.
100. Use a snow shovel instead of a snow blower.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Researchers say they've found more evidence of a link between a rapid rise in obesity and a corn product used to sweeten soft drinks and food since the 1970s.

The researchers examined consumption records from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 1967-2000 and combined it with previous research and their own analyses.

The data showed an increase in the use of high-fructose corn sweeteners in the late 1970s and 1980s ``coincidental with the epidemic of obesity,'' said one of the researchers, Dr. George A. Bray, a longtime obesity scientist with Louisiana State University System's Pennington Biomedical Research Center. He noted the research didn't prove a definitive link.

``Body weights rose slowly for most of the 20th century until the late 1980s,'' Bray said. ``At that time, many countries showed a sudden increase in the rate at which obesity has been galloping forward.''

The study is being published in the April issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

But spokesmen with the food and beverage industry and a leading critic of fast food both said weight gain would be a problem even if the sweetener didn't exist.

``It's not about the high-fructose corn syrup being a part of foods, it's about how many calories we're eating against how many calories we're burning,'' said Alison Kretser, a registered dietitian and director of scientific and nutrition policy for the Grocery Manufacturers of America. Its members include The Coca-Cola Co., Kellogg Co. and Sara Lee Corp.

Obesity among American adults climbed from 23 percent in the early 1990s to 30 percent today, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And two-thirds of Americans are overweight. That means increased risks for heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers.

The debate over high-fructose sweeteners centers on how the body processes sugar. Unlike glucose, a major component in table sugar, fructose doesn't trigger responses in hormones that regulate energy use and appetite. That means fructose is more likely to be converted into fat, the researchers said.

The sweeteners are also cheaper to produce and use in food manufacturing than cane and beet sugars, the study noted.

The report, which says more study is needed, also lays blame on people for eating more and exercising less.

Kretser said studies on how the body digests the fructose corn sweetener are inconclusive because they were done on animals.

Companies are responding to the rise in obesity by adding more nutritious sweeteners to products, such as diet sodas, and returning to smaller containers, she said.

Barry M. Popkin, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who worked on the study, said he believes a third to half of the increase in calorie intake since the 1970s comes from soft drinks and fruit drinks.

Their report says more than 132 calories a day consumed by Americans age 2 and older come from corn sweeteners.

``We cannot increase our physical activity enough to offset the extra 200 calories a day Americans are consuming,'' he said.

Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group, said there's no nutritional difference in the soft drinks sweetened with table sugar, or sucrose, decades ago and those sold today with high-fructose corn sweeteners.

He said either blend would contribute to a fat problem because of the increase in container sizes and the mass distribution of soft drinks.

Jacobson, a microbiologist and leading critic of the food industry, also called the study erroneous.

``The authors of this paper misunderstand chemistry, draw erroneous conclusions and have done a disservice to the public in generating this controversy,'' he said.

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say, or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.

We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.